Student Quotes
"I just want to say, very few are willing to get out of their comfort zone and experience a new place. I was thinking the other day how absolutely LOONY it is that a bunch of us picked up and moved across the country just to move back in 4-7 months! But--I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thanks
for everything; this really has been the time of my life."
- E.M. from University of New Mexico
"Let me just say that CSU,MB is amazing! If you love humanitarian work and ethics Monterey is definitely the place to be. You can even spend most of your time outdoors, people love camping hiking and its truly and adventure every step of the way! They have a wide variety of majors, I was a global studies major focused on human rights issues involving child soldiers, prisoners of war and the global rights of women. Every weekend there are opportunities to get out and be active! Everyone is respected here, the food is amazing and the environment is just chill down to earth and super fun. Its warm and inviting; people are generally interesting and friendly. Aside from school work I joined the martial arts program and worked with a Navy Seal and earned my gold belt. I also learned how to scuba dive and surf! On the weekends we drove from Santa Cruz all the way to L.A. on route 101 along the coast, it was AMAZING!!!! I didn't get the chance to rock climb, ski Tahoe or water ski on the lake but those are just a few more activities... they also show new movies for free on Fridays in the school’s movie cinema. The Campus is located on an old military base so you can definitely explore. If you love walking, hiking and getting out then this is def the place to be. Monterey is not as metro as say Santa Cruz and is pretty rural. But if you take advantage of all the programming available you will never be bored! I highly recommend this place! It’s the best kept secret!"
- C.B. exchanged to California State University, Monterey Bay
"Doing the National Student Exchange to Hawaii was one of the best decisions of my life. I enjoyed my time greatly at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where you truly are living in paradise. The laid-back lifestyle in Hawaii was the perfect antidote to living in New York all my life. I met some amazing people and learned a great deal from the professors at the university. Going to Hawaii allowed me to be independent, living almost 6,000 miles away, and it was a great experience. I would recommend everyone to join the NSE program. You get to live in a different city with new people and attend a different school. It was an eye-opening experience for me, and I hope to go back to Hawaii soon."
- Z.S. exchanged to University of Hawaii, Manoa
"My dream has always been to explore different places, people and cultures. In the United States alone, there are 50 states which are one whole country, yet, they vary so much in geography, climate, population, culture and lifestyle. When I went to Minnesota via NSE this summer, I felt that I traveled to another continent. It was so different from New York. After being on NSE, I feel much more enriched, a person now who can appreciate and enjoy any place outside her comfort zone."
- R.D. exchanged to Minnesota State University, Mankato
"My experience at CSU,SB was definitely one that I would never forget. I know it sounds cliché, but I have learned a lot since being out here on my own. I got to meet some great people from other schools in the exchange program, as well as people on campus. The classes are small, so that was good for me because my professors got to know me, which is good for references for Grad School. Being on the other side of the US showed me how differently they do things in California. It is always beneficial to experience new and exciting things. However, you must remember to be open to new experiences and new people, or it will be boring for you.
"The campus is clean and not too big; it kind of creates a small community atmosphere. They also have this great Outdoor Program where you can sign up for trips. The student activity fee pays for most of it so we only pay a small fee. Every weekend I’ve been out exploring California. Most recently I went surfing and hiking, camping, rock climbing, you name it!
"I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to go on exchange, so I would like to thank you for placing me here. I have made a lot of new friends from all over the place, it’s very diverse here. Just recently I met some French Canadians, and it is interesting to exchange views with people from other cultures and places."
- W.S. exchanged to California State University, San Bernardino
"The decision to join the many that have taken part in the National Exchange Program was the best decision I could have made for myself during my college years. Going to Bakersfield, California was quite an experience, even more of a culture shock. To go from a place like New York which is so rich in diversity to a city names Bakersfield, which is so much more of a religious place than I had expected, it was a big change for me.
"Going to Bakersfield gave me opportunities that I would have never experience had I stayed at Stony Brook University all four years. I was exposed to a different range of classes that I had never considered, like Judo and self-defense. In my short time there, of six months, I made friends that I hope will last me a life time. If there is only thing I could suggest to any student feeling tired of the same everyday things here at Stony brook, try something new, go to an entirely new place, with an open mind and truly live there. You will come back to stony brook, like I have, with an appreciation of what’s new and different, for the school that I left behind, Stony Brook."
- L.A. exchanged to California State University, Bakersfield